Early-onset Alzheimer's question...

[Phil Thien]

Before the diagnosis of "early-onset Alzheimer's disease," what label (if any) did medicine apply to people in their 40's and 50's exhibiting these same symptoms?

Was this considered a form of dementia?

I recently learned a professional acquaintance (since 1996) has been diagnosed w/ early-onset Alzheimer's, and the disease is progressing very rapidly. He is in his 50's.

A local mother was diagnosed in her 40's (I know this is extremely rare).

Were people stricken with these same symptoms at such an early age 50 or 75 years ago? And if yes, what did they call it?

[Rich Engelhardt]

When I was a kid -- in the 1950's --it was called "old age" or "old age disease" or "punchy" (as in punch drunk) or senile @ an early age.

[Phil Thien]

When I was a kid -- in the 1950's --it was called "old age" or "old age disease" or "punchy" (as in punch drunk) or senile @ an early age.

When you were growing up, were you aware of anyone in their 40's or 50's suffering from these types of symptoms?

I realize early-onset Alzheimer's isn't new. I just wasn't aware of anyone that suffered from the illness or anything like it when I was growing up (born in 1965). No family talk of it, no mention of it from friends, etc.

[Glenn Clabo]

Paraphrased from my wife...a RN Ph.D. -
A German physician Alois Alzheimer discovered it in early 1900's.
"Was this considered a form of dementia?"....
Yes. It's confusing and most lay people call all forms of dementia Alzheimers...which is easy...but wrong. Alzheimer’s disease is a specific diagnosis. Alzheimer’s is the cause of the dementia. Alzheimer studied what he called...pre-senile dementia...meaning what happens before someone is 60 years old. That is why they tend to call it early-onset Alzheimer's.

I think senile is what most people called it when I was a kid...and yes it's becoming a huge problem because people are simply living longer than before. It's a percentage thing I think.

[Michael Weber]

Something else to look forward to :(

[Sean Troy]

There is also a study that shows there may be a correlation between the use of aluminum as cook ware started in the early 40's to 1950's with Alzheimer's as a cause of dementia.

[Phil Thien]

There is also a study that shows there may be a correlation between the use of aluminum as cook ware started in the early 40's to 1950's with Alzheimer's as a cause of dementia.

I had heard that, too. But I guess it isn't widely accepted any longer:

http://alzheimers.org.uk/site/scripts/documents_info.php?documentID=99

The problem, of course, is that the page I linked to could have been written by Alcoa. Just kidding. I think it is interesting that the aluminum industry actually reviews any evidence on a regular interval.

The early-onset sometimes (50%, I think) has a familiar component. So if you get it, there is a 50% chance that someone above you in the family tree had it, too. Which I guess implies a genetic component.

[John M Wilson]

There is also a study that shows there may be a correlation between the use of aluminum as cook ware started in the early 40's to 1950's with Alzheimer's as a cause of dementia.

There is a profound difference between correlation and causality. Correlation simply means that as one thing increases, another thing increases (or decreases) in proportion. To a statistician, it does not imply that one thing causes another. For instance, early each morning, the sun rises, my newspaper is delivered, and my neighbor's dog barks. These things have a high correlation. To determine causality, however, additional research must be done.

My first experiment would be to make my neighbor's dog start barking at 4:30 AM to see if I could cause the paper to be delivered earlier, or to see if I could make the sun come up sooner. This would (hopefully) have no effect. I could conclude that there no causal link in that direction, despite the correlation.

The next experiment would be to have the paper delivered at different times, to see if the dog barking happens when the paper is delivered (high correlation), regardless of sunrise. If so, I could conclude that the paper carrier is causing the dog to bark. If I were trying to eliminate or reduce dog barking, I could then begin to hone in on which aspect of the paper delivery is bothering the dog.

A similar thing happens when scientists perform clinical studies -- they are looking for clues to the underlying situation. The correlation of aluminum cookware with Alzheimer's may be significant, or may just be a coincidence. For instance, the use of the name "Brittany" for baby girls has been steadily increasing since the 1960's, and therefore shows a correlation with the increase in Alzheimer's, but no one would seriously consider there is any causality.

So, more studies must be done to see if there is actually any causal link between the cookware & the disease. If there is, work can be focused to determine which aspect is causing the problem (does any aluminum transfer to the food, etc). Unfortunately, our news media, which is mainly staffed by folks whose strongest suit is not statistics, tends to overstate the significance of correlation, and often loses interest in the story before definitive causal links are identified.

Sorry to post such a long comment on a relatively benign post, but I feel if folks had a little bit better understanding of how some of these things work, they could be better informed consumers of the information that the news media supplies. :)

[Rick Thom]

When you were growing up, were you aware of anyone in their 40's or 50's suffering from these types of symptoms?

I realize early-onset Alzheimer's isn't new. I just wasn't aware of anyone that suffered from the illness or anything like it when I was growing up (born in 1965). No family talk of it, no mention of it from friends, etc.
In those days people were institutionalized.. sanitariums and psychiatric hospitals were plentiful and a common solution to 'the problem'. People were embarrassed at having a near relative with any condition like this that could relate to mental instability.

[Phil Thien]

In those days people were institutionalized.. sanitariums and psychiatric hospitals were plentiful and a common solution to 'the problem'. People were embarrassed at having a near relative with any condition like this that could relate to mental instability.

Good point! I heard a story on NPR, I think. They call it deinstitutionalization:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deinstitutionalization

[Jim Rimmer]

In those days people were institutionalized.. sanitariums and psychiatric hospitals were plentiful and a common solution to 'the problem'. People were embarrassed at having a near relative with any condition like this that could relate to mental instability.

This is anecdotal and not scientific, and there may no be no link at all, but i have heard stories all my life about families that had a "crazy Aunt" that lived upstairs. No body ever saw them. The family isolated them and cared for them. :confused:

P.S. I grew up in the 50s and 60s

[ray hampton]

Aluminum or any other metal will taint food that we cook in them and plastics will also taint your food IF THE WRONG FOOD ARE COOK OR STORE IN THE WRONG CONTAINER,tomatoes and cherries love to stain plastics

[Rick Thom]

Having been closer to this topic than I cared to be, I can recommend this book to anyone wishing more information http://www.amazon.com/Living-Labyrinth-Personal-Journey-Alzheimers/dp/0385313187. It is written very articulately by a lady suffering as an 'early onset' chronicling her personal experiences. It provides insight through the individuals eyes which is very revealing.

[Raymond Fries]

I am so sorry to hear about your friend. This life is full of conditions that fall upon us unexpectedly. I can tell you that there is hope for your friend should he care to try Pranic Healing. There is a Pranic Healing protocol for Alzheimer's which may offer hope for him.


Everyone tends to shy away from something that they do not understand. I encourage everyone to be open minded and at least look at what an alternative has to offer before saying no. Here is a link where Pranic Healing proved successful under scientific tests. http://www.pranichealingusa.com/research.php (http://www.pranichealingusa.com/research.php). Maybe this therapy would appeal to him and maybe there is a healer close to him.


All my hopes for your friend.

[Rich Engelhardt]

When you were growing up, were you aware of anyone in their 40's or 50's suffering from these types of symptoms?

Phil,
There could have been. It's hard to really say though since everybody is "old" to a kid.

[Rick Potter]

When I found out my Mom had it, I looked on line and found the alzheimers association website. It had a place to sign up for more information and updates. I assume they must sell their list of names, because within 10 seconds of signing up I recieved my first two junk e-mails, my first ever as I had been very careful.

The problem with diagnosis, per her doctor, is that the only way they can be sure that it is alzheimers is by autopsy.

The thing that tore me up most was in the later stages when she had those few moments of lucidity, she would look right at you and ask..'there's something wrong with me, isn't there?'.

Rick Potter

[Charles Goodnight]

I read it years ago, so my memory may be weak, but I am pretty sure I saw a study in which by happenstance they had tested a set of nuns for cognitive skills early in their life (maybe early twenties), and then were able to revisit the same nuns some 40 or 50 years later, and if I remember correctly there were characteristics that correlated with the testing of the 20 year olds that was predictive of their later showing dementia. I could be totally wrong about this, but if it is the case it sounds like Alzheimer's may start very early in life, but that the symptoms don't get severe enough to be noticeable until late in life.

Found it (not the article I read, but I am sure its the same story)

http://www.nytimes.com/2001/05/07/health/07NUNS.html?pagewanted=all

A short version

http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2009/07/nunstudy/

Basically language skills early in life were predictive of Alzheimer's 50 or 60 years later. “If you had these high language skills when you were a teenager, you were able to decrease the chance of getting dementia 50 or 60 years later,”

[Phil Thien]

Basically language skills early in life were predictive of Alzheimer's 50 or 60 years later. “If you had these high language skills when you were a teenager, you were able to decrease the chance of getting dementia 50 or 60 years later,”

Interesting. Contributing to SMC may actually prevent Alzheimer's.

I'm only partly kidding.

[Bob Riefer]

This is just a story, doesn't directly address your question. My grandfather had Alzheimer's and passed away at 62 years of age. His wife is now nearly 90, so I guess that was just about 30 years ago when I was about 5 years old or so. Anyways, it started for him when he was about 55 and soon enough there was a big strong man with the mental capability of an infant. This was problematic to deal with at home because he was capable of accidentally (or in a fit of frustration) really hurting himself or others. Soon, he had to be in a hospital to avoid serious harm to himself or others.

Two things really stuck with me since that time... When we visited him in the hospital, he had no idea at all who we were, and that made me sad. During one visit, he went to sit down, but I guess he had no memory that a chair was a required part of that process. Somehow, the 5 year old me pushed a big heavy hospital chair under him in just the nick of time to save him from falling over. I remember being very proud of myself for "saving the day" but also being incredulous that someone could forget something like "a chair is required for sitting".

What really blew my mind was that 5 minutes later - remember, he doesn't know what chairs are for, or who any of us are at this point.. can't use a spoon on his own etc. - he pulls a harmonica out of his pocket and flawlessly plays about 15-20 minutes worth of Swanny River, various blues rifts, and his wedding song. All the adults cried, I just sat there in awe.